Tell U.S. Congress NO! to Physician-Assisted Suicide

U.S. Congress has 30 days to act or the “Death with Dignity Act” will become law.

On November 15th, the D.C. Council voted in favor of physician-assisted suicide when they adopted the controversial B-21-38, the “Death with Dignity Act.” This shocking vote came as DC residents lined up to oppose this deadly measure. Among the opposition stood African American residents in the city, disability rights advocates, medical professionals, and others.

However, this fight is not over, because Congress also must approve the measure before it becomes law.

Physician-assisted suicide is unnecessary,unethical, and unsafe. In short, allowing physicians to take part in killing their patients fundamentally changes the role of the doctor. A doctor must preserve life, not end it.

Please join us in urging the U.S. Congress to wholeheartedly oppose physician-assisted suicide in our nation’s capital by voting against making the unnecessary “Death with Dignity Act” law.

With Congress approval, the bill would legalize physician-assisted suicide, allowing anyone 18 years old or older and with a prognosis of six months or fewer to live to request lethal drugs from their doctor to commit suicide.

Physician-assisted suicide would not be limited to D.C. residentsand would make our nation’s capital, once known for its history and beauty, a tourist site for those wishing to die.

We cannot allow this culture of death to come to our nation’s capital. Let’s tell U.S. Congress that they must stand up and say no to physician assisted suicide.

In states where physician-assisted suicide is legal, a growing number of sick people are being denied medical treatment coverage and offered suicide instead.

Leona Redmond, a D.C. resident and community activist, claims “[B-21-38]is really aimed at old black people. Redmond fears, through “[B-21-38] politicians will continue to make cost cuts a higher priority than healthcare for the poor and elderly.”

D.C. physicians lined up to opposeB-21-38.The earliest versions of the Hippocratic Oath state, “The regimen I adopt shall be for the benefit of my patients … and not for their hurt or for any wrong. I will give no deadly drug to any, though it be asked of me, nor will I counsel such.” And yet, under B-21-38, doctors will begin killing their patients.

This bill is wrongly titled, “death with dignity.” There is nothing dignified or compassionate about a doctor killing a patient. It is simply wrong.

If U.S. Congress votes to support physician-assisted suicide in the nation’s capital, how long will it be before they support it in their home district.

Please do not be mistaken. Physician-assisted suicide, if accepted by Congress for D.C., will not be rare. It will become commonplace and less than voluntary. In fact, in Canada and Oregon, where physician-assisted suicide is legal; sick patients are already being pressured to end their lives, rather than receive necessary care.

Our elderly and our sick deserve to be loved, cherished and respected. Assisted suicide disposes of the weak in our society. Do we really want to allow that to happen in our nation’s capital?

Let’s band together. Let’s make our voice heard to U.S. Congress and join the line of pro-life leaders, D.C. community advocates, doctors, and others who object to physician-assisted suicide in our nation’s capital.

I urge you to be an advocate for the common American values of life and dignity. Please respect our elderly population and those who are ill in our nation’s capital by rejecting the D.C. physician-assisted suicide bill, “Death with Dignity Act,”when it comes up for a vote on the floor of U.S. Congress.

Voting in favor of physician-assisted suicide would set a precedent where advocated will call for similar legislation in your home state. It will become commonplace and less than voluntary. In some jurisdictions, in fact, in Oregon and throughout Canada, where physician assisted suicide is legal; sick patients are already being pressured to end their lives.

We believe that our sick and elderly deserve to be loved, cherished and respected – not disposed of.

Many physicians affirm the earliest versions of the Hippocratic Oath which state, “The regimen I adopt shall be for the benefit of my patients … and not for their hurt or for any wrong. I will give no deadly drug to any, though it be asked of me, nor will I counsel such.” And, we stand with them.